Iran hangs 13 members of rebel Sunni Muslim group

Iran hangs 13 members of rebel Sunni Muslim group
AP
Published: July 14, 2009, 12:00

Tehran: Authorities in southeastern Iran on Tuesday hanged 13 members of a Sunni Muslim rebel group convicted of bombings and killings in the area, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.

The report said Abdulhamid Rigi, brother of Abdulmalik Rigi, leader of the group known as Jundallah or soldiers of God, had been scheduled to be hanged along with the 13 men on Tuesday but his execution was postponed. It gave no reason for the postponement.

Earlier on Tuesday, state radio reported that Abdulhamid Rigi was one of 14 men hanged.

The executions, according to the state radio, took place in the city of Zahedan, some 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) southeast of Iran's capital Tehran and scene of some of the deadliest attacks blamed on Jundallah, which has carried out bombings, kidnappings and killings in the area in recent years.

IRNA also said that all 13 were supposed to be hanged in public but authorities changed their mind at the last minute and decided to execute them inside Zahedan's main prison. The state radio had earlier reported that the executions took place in public.

If the rebel sunni group had gone against the country and held there sovereignty at stake,if that prompted iran to take such a step. Then it's not against human right violation as they are guilty of going against there own country.